Free!!!!
Story timeLocal libraries have story time almost every day of the week! They have different age ranges but my favorite one to go to is the one for 0-5 year olds that usually is on Tuesdays. They tell about one story and dance and sing songs. Each one usually lasts about 30min. Go here to check out times and libraries near you!
Clark County Wetlands Park
I recently heard from a friend about going to the wetlands. I was shocked to hear that there was such a place in Vegas! We had to check this out so we went yesterday with a friend that also has a 3 year old. It was fantastic! They have different length walks that make it easy to accommodate which ever age child you have. It has some trails that are dirt and some that are sidewalks. The dirt paths are really maintained and even my little umbrella stroller did really well on them. We decided that we would go on the outer path around, in hinds site that probably wasn't the best idea for 2 3 year olds. The boys were tired of walking about 1/2 way through and it was pretty warm too so they were hot and tired, yikes! We did end up seeing a lizard which got them more excited. If I were to do it again I think we will go in the early morning (they open at 9am pst) so we can see more animals.
Make sure you go inside the visitors center they have an explore center for kids and most of it was right at their level which was awesome! You can also check out a backpack that has binoculars and other fun stuff in it to help your little explorer have more fun. We didn't do this because my friend and I already had our hands full with 2 babies and our toddlers. Make sure to grab a map of the trails also, what kid doesn't love maps?! Our boys were enjoying looking at the map but had to share because we had only grabbed one, so if taking multiple toddlers, grab one for everyone! There is so much to see there it might be fun to split up the trails so you have some new things to see every time you go. Remember that you are in the desert and you need to have water (plenty of water! I took my camelpak and drained it!), wear sunscreen and even take a hat.
To find out more about what you can expect go here.
Parks
Parks are the best source of entertainment for kids. Who doesn't love spending time out at the park?! My kids love the park, from the slides to the swings to the splash pads, they love it! I have done some adventuring to different parks over the several months we have lived here. (We moved from Utah so being able to play at the park during the "winter" was fun) There usually isn't a bad time to go to the park here, except when it's windy, so we try to go at least once a week to the park. I live on the west side of town so this list will mostly be for that side, sorry east siders! If you have a favorite park leave me a comment and I will go explore near you!
Paseos Park- This park is awesome! It has a splash pad on during the summer, a very clean and well maintained sand box, play ground equipment that is good for ages 1-10 years old, and plenty of field and trails to play and walk on! This is honestly my favorite park because of all of it's options of play for the kids. We always take several buckets and shovels so that we can share our toys with the other kids there. It's usually got several kids there with their moms or nannies. There are plenty of picnic tables so take snacks or a sack lunch with you.
The Hills Park- This park was recently re-done which makes it super nice and pretty clean. They have swings to play on and a pretty cool playground. Do be aware that this park is on a hill and kind of close to a street so there are multiple dimensions that may make it harder for you to see the kids all the time. This park sits between an elementary school and middle school so parking is kind of hard but somehow being between schools makes me feel like it is safer. The play equipment is very accessible for children of all ages and capabilities. It has a wide stair case that winds up the middle to get to the slides and also a bridge at the top to get to the upper side of the park. The slides are really fast, even for adults haha, but that is what makes them fun.
Pueblo Park- This park is kind of tricky to find but it's fun once you figure out how to get there. It's on the corner of buffalo and lake mead, if you try to GPS it it will send you to some gated community, so just remember that it is just west of Buffalo on Lake mead. This park has a nice sized field to play in and plenty of sidewalk for the kids to ride their bikes. The playground is decent, not the best but the kids seem to like it. I'm kind of critical when it comes to parks.
Kellog Zaher Soccer Complex- This is a Soccer Complex that has at least 3 different play grounds within it. The main largest one is quite fun and has plenty of swings. The play equipment is good and keeps the kids climbing and running a lot. It is handicap accessible which also means adult accessible. This playground also has lights which means you can play there later, however the later it gets the more people are there. There are soccer games almost every day so try going earlier if you want to avoid crowds, or stay later and enjoy some soccer.
Ansan Sister City Park- This park is another hidden gem found in a neighborhood by a middle school. We found this when we went for our Caucus. It's got a big kid playground and a little kid playground which was awesome, both my kids had a place to play. It also has 4 swings, which is far too little in my opinion! The grassy areas aren't really that convenient to see the kids because the playground is built up, which is kind of weird. Also leave the balls home if you don't want to be chasing them down hill all day. Overall a good park for kids of all ages.
The Container Park- This is the downtown container park, which is down near Fremont Street. It is a small shopping area with local boutiques and a large play structure for the kids, so it's a win win. The play area is fully fenced in and even monitored by an employee there. The structure is something close to a tree house made out of storage containers. It has slides and different areas to climb too. It even has a gem scavenger hunt you can go on. There is also spray misters for the months that it is really HOT! It's a lifesaver! Outside of the gated area there is a small "grassy" area in front of the stage where kids can play with the oversized legos and some blue foam building blocks. Beware that there is a toy store right by the "grassy" area. This is good for older kids not so much babies, there are usually a lot of people around due to it's proximity to Fremont Street. I almost forgot to mention that parking does cost about $2/hour for street parking, yay for the city...humph.
Tivoli Village- This is another park within a shopping center. This little park is on the north end of the center but is fully gated in. It is really nice for little kids, I think for kids over probably 8 they may not enjoy it too much. My baby loves being able to climb it, SCARY! It's not that it's above his capabilities I just get nervous with the openings at the top of play structures. They also have picnic tables and a "grassy" area that is big enough that I've seen kids play small games of soccer on it. Parking is free here (YAY) sometimes you can get lucky and find on street parking but you may have better luck parking downstairs in the parking garage, also keeps your car cooler in the hotter months.
Aliante Nature Discovery Park- This park is gated in and has a lot of place to play. It has dinosaur skulls and a fossil pit to dig in so bring your excavating equipment, a.k.a. bucket and shovel. It also has a really tall play structure that says its for older kids but my 3 year old handles it just fine. It has 2 baby swings for the littles and a smaller play structure as well. During the hotter months there is also a splash pad on so be prepared for them to get wet! On the outside of the fence there are ponds that geese and ducks are usually all over, and well the pigeons join in too. There is no feeding the birds so don't get your kids hopes up too much for that.
Craig Ranch- This park has miles of play and field to explore. There are at least 3 different play grounds, that I've seen, I've been twice. It is kind of hard to keep track of the kids if you have multiple but is really open so if you have good vision maybe it would be easier ;) Every play area has a different age range so you should be able to find something to do with any range of ages. There are play structures, climbing nets, slides and swings oh and even a sandbox with a large lizard in the middle. Really this park has just about anything any kid would want to play on! I even think there is a skate/bike park at the entrance which would be cool for the teens.
Anderson Farm Tour
This little tour is kind of fun for the kids to see how the milk they drink gets processed and into the containers. However it was a disappointment to this country girl that they don't have any cows on site. It is more suitable for older children but I took my 3 year old and he enjoyed it, may have been that they gave him ice cream at the end. Anyways, you do need an appointment to go (I went with a mom's group) but it sounds pretty easy to set up. If you know this is something your child would enjoy try calling when you know you will have free time so you can schedule this in.
Go here to get more information on scheduling a tour.
I hope that this list gives you a good start to enjoying the area on the cheaper and kid friendly side of things. I will post later on the other things I have found to do but for now my children are beckoning.
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